The disparity in the coaching staff from offense to defense

One of the most interesting things about this team is the divide between defense and offense, how new players continually develop on defense and they have a nice pipeline going, especially on the DL meanwhile on offense its a barren wasteland it seems. So I took a longer look at the coaching staff and this further seems to illuminate why the defensive players seem to be sharp, play with precision and why the offense at times is such a boondoggle.

Defensive Coordinator-Vic Fangio

Began coaching in 1984. Joined the Saints in 1986 and remained as linebackers coach for 8 years. He was a defensive coordinator twice in the NFL prior to joining the 49ers, as well as a special assistant to the head coach in Baltimore.

Secondary Coach-Ed Donatell

First coaching gig was in 1975, largely a secondary/defensive backs coach throughout his entire coaching career. He was defensive coordinator twice in the NFL, with the Packers and the Falcons. He was the secondary coach for Denver during their Superbowl winning years.

Assistant Secondary Coach-Greg Jackson

Played safety at LSU for four years, as well as for a variety of teams in the NFL. His NFL playing career lasted 11 years. His first coaching gig was in 2000. Since then he has worked as a defensive backs and linebackers coach for a variety of college programs.

Defensive Line Coach-Jim Tomsula(Already on Staff Pre-2011)

Played on the DL at Catawba College for 4 years. Begin coaching in 1992. Was a college assistant coach and a long-time DL coach in NFL Europe. Eventually was promoted to head coach, shortly after he joined the 49ers as DL coach and has been in that position since 2007.

Linebackers Coach-Jim Leavitt

Played quarterback for 4 years in college at Missouri. Has been coaching defense since 1980, primarily as a linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and as a head coach for 12 years for South Florida.

Offense.

Offensive Coordinator-Greg Roman

Played on the DL at John Carroll for 4 years. First coaching gig was as a defensive quality control coach with Carolina in 1995. Was mostly an offensive line coach throughout his time in the NFL and a running game coordinator at Stanford with Jim Harbaugh before joining the 49ers.

Quarterbacks Coach-Geep Chryst

Played LB for 4 years at Princeton. Received first coaching job in 1987 at Wisconsin-Platteville. Worked primarily as a tight ends and quarterbacks coach in the NFL, was an offensive coordinator once with the San Diego Chargers while Jim Harbaugh was on the roster.

Running Back Coach-Tom Rathman(Already on Staff Pre-2011)

Played fullback for Nebraska and fullback for the 49ers for 7 years. First started coaching in 1996, was hired as RB's coach of the 49ers in 1997. Has been a RB's coach ever since in the NFL with a variety of teams, including coming back to the 49ers.

Wide Receivers Coach-John Morton

Played wide receiver at two different colleges, including Western Michigan. Played wide receiver in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and Raiders, also played in the CFL. First coaching gig was in 1998 as an offensive quality control coach with the Oakland Raiders. Was a wide receivers and tight-ends coach with the Raiders and a wide receivers coach at San Diego State and USC. Was on the coaching staff with Harbaugh in Oakland and at San Diego State.

Assistant Wide Receivers Coach-Ronald Curry

Played receiver at North Carolina for 4 years. Played for the Raiders, Lions and Rams in the NFL. He was a wide receiver for Oakland during Morton's tenure as wide receivers coach there along with Harbaugh's time as offensive quality control coach. Has no previous coaching experience.

Tight Ends Coach-Reggie Davis.

Was a tight end in college for years at the University of Washington. Played TE with the Chargers for one year, at the same as Harbaugh and Chryst were there. Has primarily been a RB's coach in college. First started coaching in 2004.

Offensive Line Coach-Mike Solari

Played offensive line for San Diego State for 4 years. Began coaching in 1975. Has been primarily an offensive line and tights end coach throughout his coaching career. Served as 49ers TE coach from 1992 to 1996. Was an offensive coordinator once with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Just looking at the differences between defense and offense and if you take away Solari, the defensive coaches are far more experience, not only that they, they are generally coaching positions that they have played themselves or positions that they have a decade of more or coaching. On offense you see more guys that Harbaugh is quite familiar with and has a history with, either as a player, as a coach or both.

Offensive coaches don't know a damn thing about getting what they want out of the receiver position until a player falls on their lap--like Crabtree or Boldin. And Boldin was offered to them by John Harbaugh We need a coach that knows how to install a good passing game to go along with Kaep.

I think there is a simpler explanation for this phenomena because with some obvious exceptions, it's the way football works. Since the point of offense is order and the point of defense is chaos or blowing up the order, it's more likely that a very talented athlete can start sooner on defense than on offense. That's not to say there isn't a lot for a defensive player to learn, but when you're trying to integrate an athlete into an offense, I think there is a lot more timing and precision involved. This could be why running backs are usually the easiest to start early on some teams. Some organizations don't insist that their running backs have to be experts at reading and blocking the blitz before they can play.

Nice write up Phoenix. This just shows how important coaching and player development is, when looking at the position coaches. When looking at the coordinators, coaching experience in the NFL seems to show its worth. I wonder if JH purposely chose inexperienced coaches on offense so that they come in with no set methods on how to do things. This way JH can impose any method he wants to use and the offensive coaches can't 'pull rank' (use seniority), even though JH is the head coach. For example, JH isn't going to come in and tell Fangio how to do things as Fangio can tell him to, "stfu I know what I'm doing".

Originally posted by thl408:
Nice write up Phoenix. This just shows how important coaching and player development is, when looking at the position coaches. When looking at the coordinators, coaching experience in the NFL seems to show its worth. I wonder if JH purposely chose inexperienced coaches on offense so that they come in with no set methods on how to do things. This way JH can impose any method he wants to use and the offensive coaches can't 'pull rank' (use seniority), even though JH is the head coach. For example, JH isn't going to come in and tell Fangio how to do things as Fangio can tell him to, "stfu I know what I'm doing".

This is a great thread, topic and I'm looking forward to futher discussion.

I too wonder if this is in fact the case...this way Harbaugh himself can install the Bo Schemblacher/Stanford offense to his liking with his own handpicked QB.

Harbaugh is an offensive vision coach. They usually come either or and they're very seldom personally involved in both sides of the ball. He needs someone like Fangio more than he needs any offensive assistants because he wants to concentrate on offense. At least, that's my sense. When Walsh was there, offensive coordinators were simply installing his plays and building his offense. When Seifert took over, he needed Holmgren and then Shanahan to keep working the offense because he was the defensive guy. And, that was a problem because they'd win a Super Bowl and Seifert would lose his OC and then have to depend on someone else to take up the standard.

Originally posted by thl408:
Nice write up Phoenix. This just shows how important coaching and player development is, when looking at the position coaches. When looking at the coordinators, coaching experience in the NFL seems to show its worth. I wonder if JH purposely chose inexperienced coaches on offense so that they come in with no set methods on how to do things. This way JH can impose any method he wants to use and the offensive coaches can't 'pull rank' (use seniority), even though JH is the head coach. For example, JH isn't going to come in and tell Fangio how to do things as Fangio can tell him to, "stfu I know what I'm doing".

This is a great thread, topic and I'm looking forward to futher discussion.

I too wonder if this is in fact the case...this way Harbaugh himself can install the Bo Schemblacher/Stanford offense to his liking with his own handpicked QB.

c'mon guys....he put together the best coaching staff in his opinion

he didn't purposely hire sub par coaches on offense to further his own agenda to control things

Originally posted by thl408:
Nice write up Phoenix. This just shows how important coaching and player development is, when looking at the position coaches. When looking at the coordinators, coaching experience in the NFL seems to show its worth. I wonder if JH purposely chose inexperienced coaches on offense so that they come in with no set methods on how to do things. This way JH can impose any method he wants to use and the offensive coaches can't 'pull rank' (use seniority), even though JH is the head coach. For example, JH isn't going to come in and tell Fangio how to do things as Fangio can tell him to, "stfu I know what I'm doing".

This is a great thread, topic and I'm looking forward to futher discussion.

I too wonder if this is in fact the case...this way Harbaugh himself can install the Bo Schemblacher/Stanford offense to his liking with his own handpicked QB.

c'mon guys....he put together the best coaching staff in his opinion

he didn't purposely hire sub par coaches on offense to further his own agenda to control things

. I just wonder why he went for experienced coaches on defense and inexperienced coaches on offense. I admit it's a cynical (ridiculous) stance, just throwing it out there.

Originally posted by Hopper:
Nice breakdown. Besides Solari and Rathman our offensive coaching assistants are nothing to get excited about.

Miller is the best FB in the game (Rathman). Our OL? People have been questioning Solari for a long time now. We had a pro bowler @ C, and 3 1st round draft picks AND guys like Gore, Hunter and James behind them (plus depth)...CK still scrambles for his life (as did Alex) and we become less effective as the year progresses each year. Solari? Not that impressed TBH.

This site is neither endorsed, nor sponsored by, nor affiliated with San Francisco 49ers or NFL Properties LLC. 49ers is a registered trademark of the San Francisco 49ers LLC. All teams and players mentioned are registered trademarks of the NFL and its respective teams. The use of any team names, words, trademarks, logos or photos have been used for descriptive purposes only. The content and information from other sites is the property of their respective owners. Player and team photos used with permission from USA TODAY Sports Images.